Article structured data
Article structured data (Article, NewsArticle, BlogPosting from schema.org) marks up news, blog, and editorial pages so Google can better understand and present them, including in features like Top stories. This page covers the type choice, the properties Google recommends (headline, image, dates, author), and how to validate the markup with the Rich Results Test and Search Console.
What this means
Article structured data uses schema.org types — Article, and the more specific NewsArticle and BlogPosting — to label a page as editorial content. Google reads it to better understand the page and to enable article-related features in Search.
Google recommends JSON-LD as the format and publishes a feature guide listing the properties it uses. Adding valid markup makes a page eligible for relevant enhancements but does not force them to appear.
Recommended properties
Google's Article guidance highlights properties such as headline, image, datePublished, dateModified, and author (with author.name and ideally author.url or type). These should match the visible content on the page.
Use the most specific applicable type (NewsArticle for news, BlogPosting for blog posts). Provide high-resolution images, accurate dates, and a clear author. The markup must describe content actually present on the page — marking up content that is hidden or absent violates the structured-data guidelines.
- Types: Article, NewsArticle, BlogPosting
- Key fields: headline, image, datePublished, dateModified, author
- Use JSON-LD; match the visible content
- Pick the most specific applicable type
Validating Article markup
Validate with the Rich Results Test (which checks eligibility for Google features) and the Schema Markup Validator (which checks schema.org conformance). Search Console's enhancement and structured-data reports show errors and warnings across your indexed pages.
Common errors include a missing headline, a missing or invalid image, and date formatting problems. Fix the underlying JSON-LD and re-test. Remember markup eligibility is necessary but not sufficient — Google decides whether to show a rich result.
How it appears in analytics and logs
Article markup helps Google understand a page is editorial content and supplies fields like headline, author, and dates. It does not guarantee rich results, and invalid markup (missing required fields, mismatched content) is reported as a structured-data error and can make the page ineligible for enhancements.
Diagnostic use case
Add and validate Article schema on editorial content so it is eligible for relevant rich results, and fix structured-data errors that Search Console reports.
What WebmasterID can help detect
WebmasterID confirms which crawlers fetched the page hosting your Article markup and the response they received. Validation of the JSON-LD itself is done with Google's testing tools; WebmasterID complements that by confirming the page is reachable and returns 200 to crawlers.
Common mistakes
- Marking up content that is not visible on the page, violating the guidelines.
- Omitting required/recommended fields like headline or a valid image.
- Using the generic Article type when NewsArticle or BlogPosting is more specific.
- Assuming valid markup guarantees a rich result — Google still decides.
Privacy and accuracy notes
Structured data describes published content, not visitors. Author fields name bylines, not private user data. WebmasterID records crawler fetches of the marked-up page as bot events only.
Frequently asked questions
- Which Article type should I use?
- Use the most specific applicable schema.org type: NewsArticle for news, BlogPosting for blog posts, or the generic Article otherwise. The fields Google uses are largely shared across these types.
- Does Article markup guarantee a rich result?
- No. Valid Article structured data makes a page eligible for article-related features, but Google decides whether and how to display them. Invalid markup can make the page ineligible.
Related pages
- Diagnosing structured data errors
Structured data (schema.org markup, usually as JSON-LD) lets search engines understand a page and can make it eligible for rich results. Errors — missing required properties, invalid types or values, markup that does not match visible content, or policy violations — can make a page ineligible for those features. Diagnosis uses validators and Search Console's rich-result reports.
- Breadcrumb structured data
Breadcrumb structured data uses schema.org BreadcrumbList to describe the trail of pages leading to the current page, helping Google show a breadcrumb path in search results instead of a plain URL. This page covers the ItemList structure, the position and item properties Google requires, multiple-trail handling, and validation.
- FAQ structured data
FAQ structured data uses schema.org FAQPage to mark up a list of questions and their answers. Note that Google narrowed FAQ rich-result eligibility in 2023 to well-known authoritative government and health sites, so most sites no longer get the visual rich result. This page explains correct FAQPage markup, the eligibility change, and how to validate it.
- Website observability
Confirm crawlers reach pages carrying your structured data with a 200.
Sources and verification notes
- Google Search Central — Article (Article, NewsArticle, BlogPosting) structured dataRecommended properties and validation guidance.
- schema.org — Article
Last reviewed 2026-06-24. Facts are checked against primary/official sources where available; uncertain specifics are marked “Data not yet verified” rather than guessed.